Sunday Blessing

"Surely I have composed 
and quieted my soul;... 
hope in the Lord..." 

~ Psalm 131:2,3

"Rest in the Lord and wait patiently for Him..."

~ Psalm 37:7a

  

Dear Daughter... Keeping It Real

By request of several friends, I've been asked to continue my Dear Daughter series. Yes, they are for my daughters, things I want to say about life and becoming a godly woman, but they are for all of us, myself included! I hope you find inspiration and perhaps even a springboard for conversation with your own daughter.



Dear Daughter,


How real should we be in front of others?


Lately, I've seen and heard a lot of comments about the idea of being transparent. The premise is, if you're not real, no one can relate to you. Without transparency, others won't let you in their life to help them because they think you really don't understand. Sounds reasonable.


There's plenty of "transparency" on facebook. Seems like it's the new venue for letting it all hang out. And it's not just teens, but people of all ages revealing attitudes, thoughts, and their wildest desires. And then there's the blog world. This past week, I read a blog that was slamming another blog tongue and cheek over the fact that they weren't being real. In doing so, they were very transparent! However, I can congratulate them that in this situation they were not being hypocritical.


On the other hand, there are those who have set the standard so high that they don't want to give the appearance of not living up to the very standard they are proposing, so they stay as far away from being real as possible (and often without realizing it). These are the commenters and bloggers who seem to have the "perfect life"; every room in order, children happily and cheerfully obeying, dinner on time with all the trimmings, and husband who takes them out on date nights regularly without a hitch. Not a hiccup to be seen for miles in any direction!


The good thing about some of these "unreal" comments or blogs is that they are often the very same people that inspire us to strive further than we are currently reaching. This can give us a good kick in the pants to get up and get busy. They display the beauty that our hearts are seeking after and aspire to bring into our own homes (unfortunately, they can also make us discouraged to the point that we give up and think our lives are never going to be "perfect"). But let me ask you... have you ever really been "inspired" by a blogger who poured out all the "real" in her life post after post after post? You may have been entertained, but were you motivated and energized? And what about that friend whose "real" comments on facebook are endless? Did it draw you to or away from that person after a while?


Computers aren't the only place we get these diverse misconceptions. For years we've known that magazines, television, and movies were purveyors of this sort of discontentment. But let's get even more "real"... how often have we looked at our friends sitting in the pews around us at church and thought "they wouldn't understand... their lives are prefect" or "their husbands are wonderful godly men" or "how come they can do it all and I can't" even get dinner on time?" And that's just for starters! We're skilled craftsmen at all kinds of lopsided notions when we see only a glimpse and not the whole picture.


Well then... which is it? Real or unaffected? Transparent or hidden? Should we seek to draw others to us and reveal the ugly or should we seek to inspire at a distance?


I think you can guess where this is going...


Too much transparency is exactly that... too much! If we only show our "real" selves, we will never inspire others or even ourselves that we can reach for a higher prize. And yet, someone who never shows one bit of her heart and yes, even a few of her failures, won't inspire either. Instead, over time, she whittles away at the very thing she had hoped to instill in others.


If you're wondering how to know exactly when to be real and when to be more guarded, you're not going to find the answer in this letter. You'll only find it as you walk with the Holy Spirit. Some of us have a personality that naturally makes us fall into the camp of being realists, laughing at ourselves as we fumble through life, while others instinctively clam up and want to look good before others and not reveal our mistakes. Don't be fooled, the root sin of both is often pride because we are seeking acceptance of man, but we're just going about it differently.


So next time you want to let it all hang out, remember...

• Don't assume that others have it all together. In fact, know for SURE that they don't. When you're sitting at church or anywhere else for that matter, seeing everyone in their Sunday best (and maybe feeling a bit inferior yourself), remember what is true (they don't have it all together) and then pray for them that the secret things in their lives will be given to God and worked out for His glory!


• Don't reveal so much that you loose your effectiveness for inspiring others, especially the very people you're trying to relate to. Think twice before posting that comment on facebook and reread your emails and blog posts. Ask yourself if you've included enough to encourage your friends to rise above their current situation or circumstances rather than revealing so much that they feel like they've just wallowed in the pit right along side you.


• Don't join in when others start to get too real! You'll recognize the situation when silly talk is flowing freely and coarse jesting is the norm (Ephesians 5:4). 


• Don't be so guarded that you never share anything you're struggling with. It just ain't natural! Seriously, you may inspire for a moment, but over time, you'll find yourself all alone in your Pollyanna world that you've carefully tried to craft.


• Do listen to the Holy Spirit, and if He whispers to you to be real, then be humble enough to share what He's laid on your heart. Just be careful that it's no more and no less than what He's told you to say.


• Being real and speaking the truth does not mean you forgo tact. Choose your words carefully even when being real so that you communicate what you intend and not innuendo. Once your words are out, they can not be retrieved.


I'm reminded of a story someone once told about a magnificent tapestry they had a chance to view. When no one was looking, they reached up and moved back a corner to reveal the underneath side of the wall hanging, only to find a mess of threads going every which way. What was chaos and disorder had been transformed into something beautiful. You, my daughter, are priceless! And even your struggles and trials in life are part of a greater tapestry the Lord is lovingly weaving together. Let Him be the Artist of how and when it is woven!


Love,
Mom


And for all my blogland friends...

When you see pictures like this...

remember that there ARE times like this...

And if you see a photo like this...

keep in mind that you may not be seeing this...

Recipes for "Plan To Eat"

Several of you have asked how the Plan To Eat site works in comparison to other menu planning programs. Others have wondered how they could figure it out since they're already short on time. I know that the first time I tried this plan, I really didn't find out what it could do and for almost 6 months, I missed out on using this great program. Knowing how to add a recipe EASILY is one of my favorite features and key to planning your menus which will dramatically enhance your use of the Plan To Eat program.

More and more I find that the recipes I cook from come off some blog or website I've found. Importing them into your Plan To Eat recipe book is easy, and it can be done 4 different ways.

Demonstrating the first two ways to import, Julie at Busy Mom Blog's You Tube Channel, has a couple of short videos that help explain the best or most preferred methods. This first video tells how to use the program to import them directly by using the bookmarklet right off the site.



This second video shows you how to cut and paste quickly and easily while still using the bookmarklet (and how to find a recipe for something you know is on sale). I can see this feature working nicely when the garden is producing an over abundance of something like zucchini or eggplant! Imagine finding all those ideas and importing them into your recipe box. You can even mark each recipe for the main ingredient or tag it so that next time around, you can just click "zucchini" and find all your recipes where this ingredient is used! (I'm in serious "like" mode here!)



There is a third way to import recipes, which Julie has not yet covered in a video, and it is just as easy to use; I've done it several times. When you find a recipe on line that you like and the other two methods haven't worked for some reason, just copy the URL from that page, go to your Plan To Eat Recipe Book and click "add a recipe". Right near the top you'll see a search bar that says "Search The Web"; just paste the URL into that box and hit return.

Once you hit return, check the recipe for anything that you might want to add or correct and then just save it as you normally would. All three of these methods typically import the photo as well. (I like photos!)

Finally, you can type a recipe in the old fashion way filling in each box. This is the method you would have to use to add recipes from your recipe box at home, family favorites, a recipe passed along by a friend, or something out of a magazine. You can add you're own photo as well as notes and share it with others.

Although Plan To Eat is not a "recipe" site where you'll find a lot of ideas for things to cook, the more friends that join and make their recipes public, the more recipes you actually have access to. (Making them public means that only their friends on the Plan To Eat site can see them, while a private recipe means only the person who posted the recipe can see it.)

I hope this helps answer some of your questions. I really encourage you to stop by Busy Mom Blogs to see some more of her videos on different parts of the Plan To Eat site. And thanks to Julie for all the time she spent putting these together!

I'm feeling a bit more... organized!!

Is there a website where you find a lot of great recipes? Share the link in the comments below!

As an affiliate of Plan To Eat, I receive a commission when users sign up for a subscription.

Barn Hop #45

Welcome! We're marching right on through January at lightening speed! Were does time go? It certainly isn't standing still? It has suddenly come to my attention that it's time to place my order for bees, any seeds I might need for spring, get the goats tested for CAE and CL so that I can breed my doe, get more raised beds built that I have planned for the year, have my dear husband make some trellises I've admired and desperately need,... {taking in a gasp of air...}

I'll stop.

The weather here has been spectacular! On the down side, no rain or snow = no moisture. Hmmm... it's either feast or famine. But since it is what it is, I need to "make hay while the sun is shining" and get to that list!

Last week at the Barn Hop, we said good bye to Megan as a hostess (although she's still blogging!) and hello to Kelly. Then I shared that I've joined Raising Homemakers as a contributor. As promised, I have still another announcement that I've been saving all week.

Those of you familiar with the Preparedness Challenge, know that I have changed these from every Saturday to only the last Saturday of each month, giving us more time to do a few preparations. I'm pleased to share that USA Emergency Supply and Tattler Reusable Canning Lids will be sponsoring these monthly challenges! Both companies are right there with us, helping to get everyone prepared whether it's for filling your pantry by preserving the harvest or repacking grains purchased through your local co-op. (Check out Tattler's new redesigned website!)

AND... for each Preparedness Challenge, USA Emergency Supply will be hosting a give-away! Woo hoo!! How's that for fun! I'll be sharing the specifics about a week before the first 2012 Preparedness Challenge, so keep an eye out for advance details.

Join The Barn Hop!

Jill @ The Prairie Homestead

Kendra @ New Life on a Homestead

Kelly @ The Morris Tribe

and Amy @ Homestead Revival...

...invite you to link up and share your homesteading adventures!

1. Write a blog post about what's going on at your homestead or a post on something you're learning or an item of interest that will benefit the homesteading community. Be sure to add the red barn button and link back here so others can join in the fun.

2. Come back here and enter your information in the Linky. Please be sure to link to your actual post (click your title and then copy the URL above) and not your home page so those participating later in the week can find your post easily.

3. If you don't have a blog, leave a comment and tell us what's going on at your homestead!

Please Note: As hostesses of the Homestead Barn Hop, please understand that we reserve the right to remove any links that are not family friendly. While this may be subjective, we will err on the side of caution in order to keep our blogs appropriate for all readers. Thank you for your understanding!

Sunday Blessing

"... do you think lightly of the riches of His kindness and tolerance and patience, not knowing that the kindness of God leads you to repentance?"
~ Romans 2:4

"Trust in the Lord with all your heart

and do not lean on your own understanding.

In all your ways acknowledge Him,

And He will make your paths straight."

~ Proverbs 3:5-6

Raising Homemakers

Well, the cat's already out of the bag, so to speak, but I couldn't help but share a bit of news anyway... I'm just a wee bit exited, to say the least!

Raising Homemakers has kindly extended an invitation for me to join them as one of their contributors along with several other wonderful bloggers!

Such an honor! And of course, I was pleased to accept. Their mission, to teach and prepare daughters in the art of homemaking, is in keeping with my own... I just hope I can contribute as well as these other beautiful women of God have done. Your prayers for this new adventure would be greatly appreciated!

If you haven't visited Raising Homemakers yet, I'd like to encourage you to do so. You'll find a wealth of information and thoughts that will give you plenty to meditate on, a weekly link up on Wednesdays that is outstanding, and a new Raising Sons Corner (coming soon!) for those of you with young men. Topics on the blog cover everything from parenting to sewing and everything in between. Be sure to spend a little time there browsing through some past posts because the words of wisdom within them is timeless.

Thank you, Raising Homemakers! I'm blessed to be numbered among you!

What topics relating to Raising Homemakers (or sons) would you like to see?

Freezing Buttermilk

Yesterday I posted a list of my Kitchen Goals for 2012, one of which is making my own homemade dressings. However, a lot of my favorite recipes call for either sour cream or buttermilk, but I don't always have these on hand when I need them, and when I do, it seems like such a waste to purchase a large container when I only need a small amount. (The exception to this is when I make my own cultured sour cream or buttermilk, which taste so good that I go hunting things to use them in and on!)

So I needed to come up with a way to have these two ingredients on hand at all times. In the past, I purchased Bob's Red Mill Buttermilk Powder. Although I can keep it in the freezer so it lasts longer, it only works okay; it isn't as thick and creamy as what you buy in the carton at the store (or homemade for that matter). It's fine when I'm in a pinch, but if we're going to switch to our own dressings all the time, they need to be GOOD; crowd pleasers and yet, still frugal.

Often I buy raw cow's milk in advance and freeze it since I can't get it at the grocery store. (Until Fiona Bleu has a kid and is in milk, we treat it like a rare commodity around here!) Then I got to thinking, if I freeze milk, why can't I freeze buttermilk?

Just like my extra lemon juice, I poured it up into ice cube trays and popped it in the freezer. One quart filled 3 trays with 2 T. of buttermilk in each cube. The small size should allow me to thaw just what I need for a dressing without wasting much, if any.

 A few hours later, I was in the frozen buttermilk business.

Bagged up in freezer bags, these should stay fresh for up to 3 months (be sure to date your bags). Even if I don't use them all, I can thaw the extras at the last minute and feed it to the chickens.

I decided I should thaw some and make sure it worked. So I pulled out a cube and let it come to room temperature.

Other than a few ice crystals, it seemed fine. Tasted the same. A purest probably would not approve, but until I have my own source again for making raw, cultured dairy products, this was the next best thing and the most frugal option I could come up with.

Unfortunately, sour cream does not freeze as well. When thawed it separates and isn't great in most recipes. But, few dressings call for this ingredient and I can find something to do with the left overs. I just wish it was as easy as freezing a few cubes!